More than 15,200 people in the EPIC cohort showed a distinct blood-metabolite pattern with higher ultra-processed food intake, including more industrial trans fats and omega-6 fatty acids and less beneficial omega-3s such as DHA.
The study suggests UPFs do more than add dietary fat: they may also drive cholesterol production and disrupt lipid and energy metabolism, leaving markers tied to impaired fatty-acid oxidation and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Researchers drew on blood samples and diet questionnaires from a wider 520,000-person European cohort across 10 countries; participants' median UPF intake was 12.6% of diet, with intake measured in grams per day.
Because the findings are observational, they do not prove UPFs cause disease, but the metabolic changes overlap with markers previously associated with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.
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Ultra-Processed Foods and Metabolic Health: 57% of U.S. Calories Linked to Rising Chronic Disease
Overview
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) make up a large part of the modern diet, accounting for over half of daily calories for U.S. adults. These foods are high in salt, added sugar, and unhealthy fats, which together raise blood pressure, increase cholesterol, and lead to weight gain. Over time, these changes in the body can result in cardiovascular disease. The report highlights that the risks from UPFs are not just about single nutrients, but also about how these foods are processed and how they affect the body’s metabolism, making them a major concern for public health.